Mobile phone insurance conundrum.
Discussion
I recently upgraded my mobile at the end of it's contract. I was with the Round Fruit network, and was changed to their umbrella network.
Got a deal I was happy with on the phone, to incl 4Gb of data (dealt with their UK call centre). They asked me "want insurance for £10/pcm?" I say, no thanks. They drop it to £8. I say no but if you can do it for £5, I'll take it (whole deal for under £40, unl calls/texts/4Gb/insurance/phone).
On hold, he spoke to a supervisor and then said yes we can do it for £5. Chuffed.
Came off the phone, spoke to a colleague about the great deal I got, looked on line to show him and found the same deal with 10Gb instead of 4Gb. Damn.
Rang back, spoke to someone else. They said "we can give you exactly the same deal but with 10Gb, but need to cancel and re-order". OK, fine: did everything, happy now. Text coming out soon to confirm and delivery in 48 hours.
The next day, no text so I rang back to check everything OK. "Yes sir, everything fine, order going through: text will be along any minute now".
The following day, no text so called again. "What order sir? We can see you ordered and then cancelled but that's it". Rant rant rant, reordered again, but..........."we can't discount the insurance sir" Oh yes you can. After much backing and forthing it was agreed that the insurance discount would be applied after the phone was delivered and activated.
Phone did arrived and was activated (ie: switched on). I rang them and they said "insurance is £10 a month, we can't discount, what are you talking about?" They finally admitted there was a note on the system to say "discount to be applied after activation, agreed with supervisor" but no level of discount was stated.
They said to trust them (yeah right) and it would be applied shortly. And here's is a £10 one-off discount on your first bill for your trouble.
Yesterday, my insurance booklet and covering letter arrived from them, stating insurance is £10/pcm.....
I have a 14 day cooling off period in which to cancel if I want. After that, it is 30 days notice after the first minimum three months.
I've never had insurance before, and I would not have it at £10, or even £8. But at a fiver, I do think it is worth it to cover the phone (HTC M8) and all the data.
Any ideas on the best way forward?
Thanks!
Got a deal I was happy with on the phone, to incl 4Gb of data (dealt with their UK call centre). They asked me "want insurance for £10/pcm?" I say, no thanks. They drop it to £8. I say no but if you can do it for £5, I'll take it (whole deal for under £40, unl calls/texts/4Gb/insurance/phone).
On hold, he spoke to a supervisor and then said yes we can do it for £5. Chuffed.
Came off the phone, spoke to a colleague about the great deal I got, looked on line to show him and found the same deal with 10Gb instead of 4Gb. Damn.
Rang back, spoke to someone else. They said "we can give you exactly the same deal but with 10Gb, but need to cancel and re-order". OK, fine: did everything, happy now. Text coming out soon to confirm and delivery in 48 hours.
The next day, no text so I rang back to check everything OK. "Yes sir, everything fine, order going through: text will be along any minute now".
The following day, no text so called again. "What order sir? We can see you ordered and then cancelled but that's it". Rant rant rant, reordered again, but..........."we can't discount the insurance sir" Oh yes you can. After much backing and forthing it was agreed that the insurance discount would be applied after the phone was delivered and activated.
Phone did arrived and was activated (ie: switched on). I rang them and they said "insurance is £10 a month, we can't discount, what are you talking about?" They finally admitted there was a note on the system to say "discount to be applied after activation, agreed with supervisor" but no level of discount was stated.
They said to trust them (yeah right) and it would be applied shortly. And here's is a £10 one-off discount on your first bill for your trouble.
Yesterday, my insurance booklet and covering letter arrived from them, stating insurance is £10/pcm.....
I have a 14 day cooling off period in which to cancel if I want. After that, it is 30 days notice after the first minimum three months.
I've never had insurance before, and I would not have it at £10, or even £8. But at a fiver, I do think it is worth it to cover the phone (HTC M8) and all the data.
Any ideas on the best way forward?
Thanks!
As everyone else says, phone insurance (from provider)= bad deal.
ETA - just noticed you said phone and all the data
What does that cover? Travel back to all the places you went to take new pics?, Someone to go and ask all your friends for their phone numbers again?
ETA - just noticed you said phone and all the data
What does that cover? Travel back to all the places you went to take new pics?, Someone to go and ask all your friends for their phone numbers again?
Edited by V8forweekends on Friday 2nd May 15:25
Mobile phone insurance isnt just about the cost.
With EE's clone phone loaded (which is what the OP is talking about) you will get a replacement phone the next day (sometimes same day) with a valid claim. I also believe it extends that service to warranty issues too. They dont send you phone away for repair, they send you a new (refurbished) one and you hand your damaged one to the courier.
With bank provided or home insurance provided cover, you will be lucky to get a replacement the same week....
You pays your money....
FWIW... I reckon £60 a year is fantastic price
With EE's clone phone loaded (which is what the OP is talking about) you will get a replacement phone the next day (sometimes same day) with a valid claim. I also believe it extends that service to warranty issues too. They dont send you phone away for repair, they send you a new (refurbished) one and you hand your damaged one to the courier.
With bank provided or home insurance provided cover, you will be lucky to get a replacement the same week....
You pays your money....
FWIW... I reckon £60 a year is fantastic price
calibrax said:
Cancel the insurance and switch your current account to Halifax Ultimate Reward. Costs just £10 a month and gives you AA cover (with Home Start), mobile phone insurance, travel insurance and a whole heap of other benefits.
I hhave a Halifax Ultimate Reward account and also need to renew the breakdown cover on my mine and my wifes car. However the Halifax version doesnt come with relay. want that its an extra £62. For £68 AXA will give me full UK and european cover!Thanks for the replies.
At £5/pcm: £60/pa I think Clone Phone is excellent cover http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/network/clone-phone
My household insurance would cover the phone to an extent, but not as well as this.
£10/pcm: £120/pa I think it is too much though.
So, I will have one last try to get them to honour the £5 deal, otherwise I will cancel.
At £5/pcm: £60/pa I think Clone Phone is excellent cover http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/network/clone-phone
My household insurance would cover the phone to an extent, but not as well as this.
£10/pcm: £120/pa I think it is too much though.
So, I will have one last try to get them to honour the £5 deal, otherwise I will cancel.
What's with this clone phone stuff? Make a huge deal of having your phone all back to what it was. Sure, but doesn't that happen with an iPhone when you plug a new one into your machine? Don't know about Androids, but I'd be surprised if it didn't.
Forty pounds a month, blimey how rich are students these days? Thats four hundred and eighty quid a year. Times it by three or four depending on the contract.
Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
Forty pounds a month, blimey how rich are students these days? Thats four hundred and eighty quid a year. Times it by three or four depending on the contract.
Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
IanA2 said:
Forty pounds a month, blimey how rich are students these days? Thats four hundred and eighty quid a year. Times it by three or four depending on the contract.
Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
Student? Thanks! (I'm a professional 48 year old Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
)Taking the insurance out, I'm paying £34/month for a HTC M8, with unl calls/texts and data. I pretty good deal I think...
JumboBeef said:
IanA2 said:
Forty pounds a month, blimey how rich are students these days? Thats four hundred and eighty quid a year. Times it by three or four depending on the contract.
Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
Student? Thanks! (I'm a professional 48 year old Buy a nice second hand smartphone say £150, go giffgaff, and hey presto more money for books!
ETA: Oh, and forget the insurance nonsense.
)Taking the insurance out, I'm paying £34/month for a HTC M8, with unl calls/texts and data. I pretty good deal I think...
Age by the way is no barrier to education
Snowboy said:
Cancel the insurance.
Put £5 a month into a saving account.
Unless you're total klutz you'll save more than a phone repair will cost.
But with mobile insurance it isn't just the phone that is covered and consider the phone is probably hundreds of pounds, but it is also the phone usage costs that are covered, if the phone is stolen and international calls are made you could have a massive bill to pay.Put £5 a month into a saving account.
Unless you're total klutz you'll save more than a phone repair will cost.
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